The André Onana’s odyssey at Manchester United will experience a new episode in the coming months. The Cameroonian goalkeeper has been called up to play in the Africa Cup of Nations with his national team, so he must be absent from his club commitments in one of the most important moments of the season for your team.
And despite the multiple goalkeeper errors since his arrival at Old Trafford this summer, André Onana continues to have the total confidence of Erik ten Hag who is betting on the Cameroonian as team’s starting goalkeeper. The Dutch coach has not sat his pupil in no game this season, a decision that has strained the patience of the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ on more than one occasion.
Luckily or unfortunately, the Cameroonian goalkeeper will be absent from his club’s commitments in the coming months. Onana has been summoned by Rigobert Song for the Africa Cup of Nations, a competition that the Cameroonian team will start on January 15 and could be extended until February 11 in the event that your team was passing stages in the competition.
Erik ten Hag could lose his starting goalkeeper in up to four Premier League games. Pending the performance of the Cameroon team in the tournament, Onana could miss the matches against the Tottenham, Wolverhampton, West Ham and Aston Villa. To reach the final, Onana would return for the game against Luton in a meeting that would mark, a priori, the return to ownership of the goalkeeper with his club.
The possible substitutes
Everything seems to indicate that Altay Bayindir will be the one who will defend the ‘red devils’ goal during the dispute of the Africa Cup. The Turkish goalkeeper landed at Old Trafford this summer in exchange for 5 million euros after his great performances with Fenerbahce. Bayindir is yet to debut with his new team and could take the opportunity to present his candidacy for ownership of the English team’s goal.
It is not the only option that is being considered Erik ten Hag to make up for the absence of the Cameroonian goalkeeper. The veteran Tom Heaton He returned to Manchester United in 2021 and could have an unexpected opportunity at 37 years old, although he knows that he is not the priority for his coach.